This article investigates the impact of innovative urban policies on haze pollution. Based on panel data from 285 prefecture-level cities in China from 2007 to 2018, we use the difference-in-difference method (DID) to estimate the governance effect of innovative city construction on haze pollution. We find that the construction of innovative cities can reduce urban haze pollution, but this effect is mainly reflected in the central region, cities with low innovation capacity, and cities with high FDI and environmental regulation intensity. Further analysis reveals that the construction of innovative cities can indirectly promote the suppression of urban haze pollution by adjusting industrial structure, promoting government policy implementation, improving technological innovation efficiency, and promoting human capital agglomeration. The conclusion of this article provides evidence for the government to implement environmental protection and reduce haze pollution.